Woven
by IsleySister
Summary: After the loss of a loved one, the enchantress Louisa begins to take her destiny into her own hands. Throw in a pack of wolves and imprinting and we have the perfect potion for a complicated road to independence. Set after Breaking Dawn
1. Chapter 1

**Reversed Magus**

With my eyes closed, I move my raised hand across the deck. Which one is calling to me? Where is my energy being pulled? Where is it shifting? My fingertips flutter to the right of the deck. A bolt of electricity no more then an electric shock stops me. I freeze. Right here. This is the one. My index finger and is pulled down as if tightening a shoelace. This was the hard part. I pick up the card and turn it over. First peeking with my left eye and then my right. Both open eyes open now as I take in the card. The magus. A reversed magus. I sigh.

"I saw this coming" Nana chimes from behind me. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing?" I say as I run my fingers over the card. The surface is rough. The corners are bent. Was it stress or nerves that made me play on the edges so much. I didn't know but all I do know is that I pulled this card a lot.

"Louisa you've pulled that card every day for as long as I can remember. Don't you want a change" I had been doing my own reading with Nana's guidance so it was customary that she sat behind me while I sat in front of the vanity mirror. I looked at myself in the mirror. My curly afro was racing towards my elbow and was screaming for a trim. I was told often that my face was unapproachable, it was probably because of the natural pout in my lips when my face was neutral. To counteract this I chose to smile a lot and this worked because people said I had a great smile! But lately, that didn't mean much as my deep brown eyes were hollow. I wanted more than anything to put life back to where it had been. It's just the _how_ part I was struggling with.

The process of grief is a hard road to navigate. It's hard to climb a mountain without a harness.

I looked myself dead in the eye and vocalize my confirmation, the same confirmation I said every morning. I really wanted to mean it this time, "I don't lack energy, I am energy. I am a river and the water within me runs true and free."

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up. Nana is smiling down at me and speaks softly, " Lou, I really felt your spirit shift just then, what changed?."

"I mean it this time" I replied while looking at her reflection. Nana had always been there for me, and when I lost my mum she was there to pick up my shattered pieces. She opened up her home to me and put me back together piece by piece. Hand dainty but always carefully and sure. When I arrived she sensed my energy had dropped and my connection to our talent was weak. She thought it would be a good idea to start practicing the basics again and we started with a tarot reading. I had given many people readings ever since I discovered I had the gift. In all my 19 years I had never thought to make myself the subject. Other people were so easy to read. But after my loss, I couldn't even manage that. It was as though my experience and skill decreased. So it's back to basics for me and for the past six months I had pulled the reversed magus. Every day I carried the card around with me feeling as though it had set the tone for the day and I wouldn't be able to change it. Maybe it was time I took my fate into my own hands

I feel a tingling sensation in my hand and look down. The colors on the card begin to merge. Blues into greens, yellows into oranges, pinks into purples. The colors spin and swirl. Finally settling into the magus again. "It's changed! It's the right way up!."I jump out of my seat holding the card close to my eyes, scared if I turned away it would return to its original form.

"It would look like things are looking up" she burst into a roaring laugh and takes my seat. Whipping a fake tear from the corner of her eye. I smile. I'll let her have that one, what harm could it do. I slip the card into my skirt pocket and slip on my sandals and grab my tote bag. "Keep telling jokes like that and the world will lose a seer and gain a comedian". "Now let's go!" I say as I usher her out of the door and into the car.

We were on our way to Sue's house for a BBQ. Nana had introduced me to Sue six months ago when I first arrived without any money or job prospects. She needed a receptionist for her Clinic on the reservation and I was more than happy to join. Over the next six months, Sue had become my confidant and friend, she had an aura like gravity. Her aura invited you in with open arms and you found yourself gravitating towards her. We pulled into Sue's house and parked behind her car. Sue came out onto the veranda and greeted us. I walked up to the stairs and hugged after setting the Tupperware down, Sue had to bend down a little to reach Nana as her back had begun to curl in her old age.

"So happy you guys could make it," she says like guiding Nana and me through the front door.

"Thank you for inviting us I've made some patties for the grill," Nana replies before I could get a word in.

"That sounds great, Lou why don't you take them to the back while I get Nana something to drink"

I can hear Sue ask Nana if she wanted some lemonade and she replied, "Oh Sue I know you have something a bit stronger than lemonade! I'm not driving so treat me, won't cha!"

I laugh and begin to make my way through the house when I was hit by an overwhelming aura. And then another and another. It wasn't like the normal aura that emitted from a body, it was hard to grasp or pin down. As soon as you felt you had a clear view of it it would disappear from you peripheral or slip through your fingers. I continued to walk through the house towards the back door out into the garden when I spotted Billy. Billy was a character and a good friend of Sue's he often visited the clinic.

"Hey Lou, how're doing"

"I'm good thanks"

"What have you got there"

"Oh my Nana makes really good spices burgers, so we've made some for the grill," I say juggling the box from hand to hand.

"That just great! We've got a hungry bunch, give them to my son Jake at the grill and he'll whip em up." I just expected because Sue was old enough to me my mum that her guest would all be a similar age. Oh, boy, was I wrong there were a lot of people here my age. A lot of guys to be specific. I looked around the garden that was endless as the edge was backed by the forest for Billy's son, Jake. I saw two guys by the grill, they were ripped. To be fair all the guys here were ripped. As I walked towards them I felt the obscure aura resurface again. But this time I knew for sure it belonged to them. It moved in waves around them, it seemed to test it reins and go further with every new wave and then back to the center. It reminded me of a puppy exploring a new home.

Both guys had clearly been kissed by the sun, their tanned skin gave out the feeling of the afternoon sun against your face when the tide is calm and you wait for the moon to shine. One stood behind the bar in a kitchen apron that was clearly too small for him. He was chatting it up to the other equally as tall guy next to him. He looked to be holding the bun the patty was about to go in. Billy said the one at the Grill right? Which one was it? I walk up to them and say "Jake? " I look at both just as a precaution.

"That's me," the one holding the bun says pointing to himself with it with a wide smile.

"I'm Lou I work with Sue at the clinic"

"Ahh the chick that reads the fortunes"

"That's me" I reply copying Jake.

"You gave a good reading for my dad, it really _was_ a good day for fishing" He beamed and gave a kick to the cooler behind him.

"Or she listened to the weather duhhh. I'm Jared" He said

"Nice to meet you guys, I've got some patties for the grill, "I said putting the box down in front of me. "They're a bit spicey"

"Pile them up!" Jared said bending down and digging into the Tupperware.

"You've got a little accent," Jake said turning to me.

"Yeah I'm from London," I said

"Oh cool so you're English"

"No, I'm British Jamaican."

"I don't get it"

"My parents immigrated from Jamacia to the UK where I was born it's very simple." I shrug

"Cool, so what are you doing here"

"Not enough sun in London" I joke. They both let out a belting laugh

Jake, Jared and I really hit it off after that and shifted the responsibility of the grill over to a Sam guy. He had also been kissed by the sun and he was much taller than the boys. He seemed nice enough, very polite and always making sure everyone had enough food and drink and we were all in a good mood. He often looked over in our direction when we let out a hearty laugh. I had noticed his aura was also hard to capture. The three of us sat in a little semi-circle having a chat. The sun had begun to sink in the sky.

"Is it even real? Dad told me he'd come to _you_ before he makes his next football bet" Jake questioned stretching out and leaning back.

"Well its as real as you want it to be anddd as good as the football team is" I replied smiling into my cup. This received a chuckle from the two of them. It didn't really matter what I said about my readings everyone is skeptical. And being a witch was cool these days, every other hipster and spiritualist was bragging about it on their Tumblr post or Instagram feed. I never had to be particularly careful as only a select few were true believers,

"Do a reading on me"

"You?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah me," He said sitting at full attention now.

"What type of reading do you want"

"Oh Nonono you don get to ask questions and sus me out, you've got to do this blind." He said waving his finger in my face

"Blind" I laugh "okay I'll close my eye."

"This has gotta be good," Jared said looking interested

I sit in front of Jake and outstretched my hands, palms up. I close my eyes.

"Stretch out your hands, palm up please," I say I hear a shift in the air and loosely hold his wrists. My fingers twitch slightly as I try to aline our auras, which was difficult as he jumped and pranced with mine. I was the circus trainer and he was my lion. My aura thrashed and whipped to get him to obey but he didn't, he just became even more unsettled. I tried again this time with more ferocity however this only excited him even more. Christ, it wasn't usually this hard. my aura screamed for a submission and still no results. Maybe I was going about this all wrong. Finally, my aura took a different approach and out strength my energy like two open arms. This time, Jake's aura came running.

Jake wanted to be shocked and telling him about the weather wouldn't give him the reaction he wanted. So I decided to peek inside the house of his mind. Just through the window as to not intrude too much. All I wanted was a glimpse of a secret something to unnerve him. And then I saw it. A secret, not even his father knew only the six of them knew. I watched as the images began to pass over my eyes. I recognized Jared and Sam but not the three other men and one other girl. I was next taken to an image of a house and a baby. The baby was cute while looking down in the crib the images started to enter my mind faster and faster. I began to see the baby grow. Baby to a toddler and then to a child. The images began to whirl in my mind and I started to feel dizzy. I was confused I had never seen anything quite like this before. Yes, people's minds can show me timelines but I've never seen one so fast. I let go. I was only able to draw one thing from that and it was a name.

"So what did you see?" he smirked. What should I say? I don't even understand what I saw. How can a baby grow that fast? Was his mind just whirling and I went with it. Why was this child a secret? I had no clue. Had my skills decreased this much I couldn't read a simple man!

"Nessie," I said slowly. For the first time that day, I saw Jake's eyes harden and jaw set.

* * *

_**Hey Guys, this is my first story! I hope you enjoy it. Leave me a comment, I would love to hear what you think :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Into The Abyss**

He looked beyond livid. The arch in his eyebrows drew tightly together with his nose racing to meet it in the middle of his face. Was he snarling at me?

"Where did you hear that name" he seethes.

"I only did what you asked," I whisper looking him straight in the eyes while we begin to rise from the floor. Jake grabs my forearm and pulls me towards him.  
"I said. Where did you hear that name?"

"Wow wow wow Jake calm down, she can't have known" Jared interjected, trying to pray Jake's iron grip off me. I feel his nail begin to dig into my skin and I screech, "You're hurting me!" as I try to peel his hand from my arm.

I take a deep breath to calm myself and focus my amethyst necklaces energy on my forearm to shake Jake off by heating the skin underneath his hand. But he didn't move, not an inch. He didn't display any signs of discomfort so I pumped up the juice, increasing the temperature. Amethyst was a protection stone and my mother and I spent many years working together to mold it and to store a proportion of my raw energy for later use. It was a powerful stone in my hands. While releasing more heat Jake's begins to ferociously shake me, demanding I told him how I knew Ness

The commotion started to gain the attention of the other BBQ goers. Sam jogged over in his kitchen apron and roared, "Leave her Jacob." Still nothing. Without breaking eye contact I increased the releasing energy further. However, Jake never loosened his hold so I continued to radiate. That was when the sizzling of his burning skin could be heard by the naked ear. Jake finally let's go in pain and looks down at his hands. They were red and the sores were becoming prevalent.

"Oh my god, jake your hands!" Jared shouts and jumps back. I was shaken and breathing heavily, even sweating a little.  
"Jacob, what happened to your hand?" Sue comes towards us concerned. This seemed to snap Jake out of whatever trance he was in with this whole demeanor relaxing.

"Nothing, I'm fine," he says wiping his hands on his jeans.  
"See," he says holding up his hands.

My mouth dropped. His hands were fine as if nothing had happened if anything they looked a little red.

"Lou are you alright, what's going on here" Sue turned towards me.

"Nothing, I'm fine." I shrug, slowing my breathing and smile at Jake.

Jake was playing ignorant and two could play this game.  
The crowd disbursed and they wrote the ruckus down as some new young banter tactics. Jake, Jared, and Sam went over to talk with some others and would now and again looking over to me before turning back to share hushed voices.

The cry WITCH had changed over the centuries. People didn't run around with pitchforks prosecuting every out of ordinary female they came across. However, there were many occultists and weirdos out there who still cling to this old tradition and I had just met these people. How was I sure they wouldn't be the same. It was foolish to use such invasive magic in public and I fear I'll pay for it later

Nana walks up to me looking less than impressed. I'm sure I'll get an earful once we leave. "I think it's time we leave Louisa," Nana said leading me out.

"There's something different about them, I just can't put my finger on it," I whisper.

"There something different about this whole little town."

* * *

I tossed and turned all night. Finally throwing my sheets off me I pick up my dressing gown and begin to walk down the stairs and out the front door onto the porch. I sit down on the porch swing and gently begin to push my foot off the ground to create a slight rock.  
I felt a twinge in my chest and I can tell by the accompanying wincing in my face it was guilt. It shouldn't have gotten so it of hand. I shouldn't have taken something so personal from him. I had hurt him and no smoke and mirrors were worth that. My reaction didn't take into consideration the others around me. It was selfish to be so reactive. But I'd be a fool to disregard the reality of the situation. Those boys are not what they seem. I could write their strange aura off as a fluke but that accompanied by the growth spurt I saw in Jake's head made it all the more suspicious.

Snap! I look up, drawing my dressing gown tighter around me. I wouldn't dare to call out. Not if I didn't want a response back. Which I didn't! It was a warm night but it also a dark night making the heat that filled atmosphere claustrophobic. It was also quiet and plague by the sounds of insects of the night. Suddenly I saw it, just out of the corner of my eye. That damn fleeting aura!

"Jake?" I call out and slowly stand up.  
"How'd you know," he said emerging from the left side of the porch banister. I jump out of my seat falling onto the cool floor.

"What the hell are you doing creeping around my house." I gasp holding my hand to my chest.  
"We were just in the area," he smiles leaning on the banister.  
I feel the hidden aura of two more people if they can even be called that.

"So you didn't come along?" I ask

"You know Sam from the BBQ and this is Paul," he said as the two others came into view.

"My god, have you both been standing there this whole time? What is wrong with you guys!"

I had already met Sam but I hadn't met Paul yet.  
"It's nice to meet you, Louisa," he says coming into the light of the porch and our eyes met. Paul's brown eyes were soft and in the light of the porch the rims of the iris' glistened gold and in this moment everything begins to slow down as if frozen in time. The noises of the night seem to have faded out which allowed space for a tranquil buzz. Within this new space, the only important thing that existed was Paul and I. There was something so familiar about him, as though this wasn't the first time we had met. In another life perhaps, it was cosmic. Reality began to settle back into place like dust in the air coming to a standstill on the coffee table.

"Just Lou is fine," I say breaking eye contact and clearing my throat. This wouldn't be the first crush I've had to deal with. I'll need to behave or I'll embarrass myself.

Jake and Sam both look at each other and seemed to share a non-verbal conversation then looking back at the two of us. Very awkward that they had to watch me ogle their friend for so long.  
"Is there something I can help you with at this hour," I say leaning against the door frame. Before either of them could answer I rambled on.  
"Look if this is about the reading, I don't give refunds" I now cross my arms  
"I didn't pay" Jake scuffed.  
"Exactly so what's the problem, let's just forget it ever happened"  
"You see Lou," Jake begins walking around the banister and up the porch steps. "I can't forget about it and you must answer the next questions truthfully".  
"Stand down Jake," Paul commanded striding in front of him and between us.

"Look, we don't want a repeat of whatever happened earlier, so let's keep this friendly", Sam peace made. Jake looked past Paul.

"You know what Nessie is, that's a fact. Now, are you like Nessie? Half and half,"

"Half and half?."

"Well you smell human but you're also gifted. Are you half-vampire?"  
Vampire's were used as a ghost story to scare little witches and warlock from traveling unaccompanied at night. They were just a metaphor for humanity's toxic humanity. The kind that is injected into our lives and changes us forever. It can't be real, could it?

"Are you on crack, I'm just clairvoyant, do you even hear the crap you're spouting?" I said reaching for my necklace, just in case.

"You also burnt me!" Jake chimed as though I never spoke.  
"And what proof do you have of that?" I say standing up tall and straight raising my eyebrow.

"She answered your question!" Paul spun on Jake, beginning to push him back.

"No, she didn't!" They were now nose to nose. Well, Jake was about half a foot shorter than Paul so it was nose to chest.

"That's enough!" Sam joined, turning to me.

"What's going on here, what are you"

"I'm just the girl that reads the tarot. Now get out of here before I call the police. You do have trespassing laws in this country don't you?"

"Lou, we can help each other here", Sam pleaded. Sam seemed so trustworthy, he carried himself as an open book. It almost made me want to oblige and confide. He reminded me of Georgie. I smile remembering my time with him but still ignore Sam. I'll have to stay clear of that one.

During this whole encounter, Paul kept Jake a safe distance away from me, shamelessly watching my every move. Processing and memorizing my face, speech, and mannerism with his eyes. He seemed confident in himself that Jake would not pass him. There was a stray piece of silky black hair that partially covered one of his eyes, this made him look laid back and nonchalant. The obscurity of his vision didn't seem to bother him at all and it was kinda sexy.

Defeated, the three of them begin to walk away when Paul turns around and smirks, "hopefully I'll be seeing you again soon, Lou."

Me too, I think as I enter the house again for the night.

* * *

** Hey Guys! Chapter 2 is up, let me know what you think - Isley Sister :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Fool**

Knock knock. I look up from the reception desk to see Nana peering over probably on her tiptoes. Her grey coiling fringe hung low and from this angle, she had a young and spring air to her.

"Hey," I said swirling around and getting out of the office chair to make my way out of the reception area. Mondays were normally quiet the only patient we had came for a check-up and was currently in the examination room with Sue.

"I didn't catch you this morning," she says examining the hair at the end of my long braid.

"You need a trim." she tuts, shaking her head.

"I know," I sigh taking the braid out of her hand, bringing it close to my face now to inspect it. The ends of my hair were beginning to look absolutely ridiculous. So many split ends, some strands of hair had more than one split to it.

"I missed you this morning"

"Yeah, I wanted to get in early to check the appointments for the day."

"Hmmm, I thought you might have wanted a lie in after your visitors left last night." She says smugly taking a seat in the waiting room. I freeze.

"Does anyone sleep in this town?" I say grin slightly sitting down next to her.

"Or maybe you left because you didn't want to talk about the BBQ?"

"Look I know -" I begin but Nana cuts me off, holding up a hand and signaling me to wait

"No Louisa you listen to me know. You've always had trouble apologizing but you've never had a problem with feeling guilt. If you want the guilt to end, you know exactly what to do," she says nudging me with her elbow slightly. "Don't let it consume you. It's okay to say sorry especially when you mean it. It doesn't make you weak, quite the opposite actually." She says patting my cheek.  
"Let's see it," she adds softly. I know what's she talking about. I slowly raise my right hand and rotate my wrist anticlockwise and click my fingers in one swift movement to reveal the tarot card I pulled this morning. She looks impressed.

"I've been working on my mirage," I smirk.

"That was good, very smooth," She says stilling my wrist and gently taking the card from my hand to look over it.

"The fool, a great card very positive card. A new beginning, turning of a new leaf. Maybe that new leaf can start now," she pauses and adds, "You have a guest."  
She looking towards the door, I follow her eye trail. It was Paul, standing there with a loose smile.

"Remember what you said to me when we left yesterday?"  
I nod, I had said there was something different about these boys.  
"You can trust them because you both have talents worth sharing." This was all she said before got up and hobbled toward the clinic door where Paul stood.  
"Afternoon Ms. Davis," Paul said stepping out of the way to let her pass. Did they know each other? I frowned.

"Hello Paul, how are you?" she said resting her hand on his arm. Compared to Nana, Paul completely dwarfs her, surely she was only one third his height.

While they were exchanging pleasantries I looked Paul over for the first in the daylight. He was wearing washed-out straight blue Jean's and a V neck white t sheet that clung to his muscle in all the right places. I bite my lip and tune into their conversation.

"Emily's the one that cuts all the hair." He says.

"Do you think she'll mind, today would be good."

"She won't mind"

"Perfect," Nana turns back to me to give me a little royal wave and points with her boney finger.

"Don't come back this those split ends tonight. Emily will do them for you, I'll give her a call to expect you later." I open my mouth to speak but she's gone before I can say anything, so I'm left standing there like I fish on land.

Paul looks at me and smiles, "Hey Lou, nice to see you again," he says striding into the clinic. I close my mouth.

"Me too, I'm mean you too, you too," I say tucking a piece of my loose hair behind my ear and return to my post into the reception. Oh God, how awkward, luckily my coffee skin tone hide my heated cheeks. Paul walks towards to reception desk giving me butterflies. Why did this man reduce me to an incoherent secondary school girl? I had always been so self-assured, this timidness was new to me.

"Are you here to make an appointment," I say composing myself.

" I'm here to see you."

"Me?" I hear my heart pounding in my ears.

"Its jake, he wants to talk to you again. But don't worry he won't be coming around unannounced ever again."

"Are you apologizing for him?" I ask a little confused leaning forward and I see the patient walking out of the examination room. I wave,  
"Bye Arther, I'll give you a follow-up call tomorrow," I call to him. He gently tilts his head towards me like his tipping a hat and walks out of the clinic.

"No, that pup can apologize for himself." Pup?

"I only came because he insisted on seeing you today. I just want to make sure you're comfortable with that. I know you can handle your own but..." He trailed on bracing himself on the desk.

"Why would you do that?" I question.

"I just want to help."

"Why?"

"You're full of questions today aren't you?" he said scratching the back of his head. I had put him on the spot.

"You don't really know me, I could be full of questions every day," I rebutted

Paul had this primal look in the pit of his eyes as though he was driven by pure instinct. He cocks his head to the side looking me over with a playful smirk.

"Then, I'd like to get to know you." He said boldly leaning in close over the desk.

I swallow and push back slightly from the desk.  
"Where is he?" I asked changing the subject, Paul jerked his head toward the door. Outside.

"I can tell him to fuck off," Paul suggests.

"No need," I say rising from the desk and making my way outside. I was momentarily blinded by the sun but true to Paul's nod he was there, standing outside. Looking nervous and fidgeting. Paul joins us outside leaning against the building this his arms folded.

"Jake I -"  
"Lou I - "  
"Please let me go first," he nods, " I just want to apologize for yesterday, the BBQ and last night. Listen about the reading don't worry about me saying anything. I barely understood it myself but I'll keep your secret, as long as you keep mine." I say shading my eyes with my hand from the sun so I could give a sincere apology.

"Thanks that means a lot, I wanna apologize too. I came in way too hot and heavy yesterday." He said scratching the back of his neck  
"And I have no clue what secret," he says making air quotes with his hands, "you're talking about," he says winking at me. I smile. Maybe this is what Nana meant by trusting them.  
I hadn't known Jake long, in fact, I had only known him two days but the person I met yesterday saw at the BBQ was not the person I meant on Sunday. Now this nervous grinning guy was the one I met on Sunday.

"Do you need a lift to Emily's it looks like Ms. Davis took the car," Paul says walking towards me. I spin on my heels scanning the car park for my car. Damn! It was gone. This was probably her plan the whole time! What a trouble maker. I huff.  
"It would seem so, do you mind? I just have to help Sue close but I shouldn't be too long." I say making my way towards to clinic again.

"I'll wait," Paul says walking back into the clinic with me.

"Can you give me a lift too," Jake said scrambling behind us.

"No," Paul said flatly. I laugh.

* * *

"I thought we were going to a hairdressers," I say looking out of the window as Paul pulls into the driveway of a house.

"Emily's house is the hairdressers," Paul says cutting the engine.

I was sat between Paul and Jake in the cabby of his truck. In the beginning, I tried to keep my legs to themselves and sat resting my bag on my lap and hugging it to my stomach. But, the roads on La Push were riddled with potholes or loose gravel. The tremors were a given, I had angled my knees slightly to the left to only disturb one of the two guys I was ledged between. Paul didn't seem to mind and I felt comfortable like this. It was natural to sit like this with him, no awkwardness, no tight-lipped smiles or shifting eyes.

Paul opens the driving door and holds out his hand for me. I take it and we begin to walk towards to house.

"Lou, don't stare okay?" Jake say walking off ahead of us.

"At what?" I ask Paul as he slows down his strides to walk beside me.

"Her face, there was an accident." He says looking down at me. Urging me on.

Jake didn't knock when he got to the door just flung it open, almost of the hinges and entered the house. A moment later a lady came out smiling and waved at us as we approached. She had a lovely wide smile, I could tell this was her resting face. She had a large scar that panning down the side of her face. It didn't take away any beauty from her face and only made her look even more distinguished. Her aura was light but firm emitting from her in waves inviting you in. Similar to Sue's  
"Louisa," she smiles taking me into an unexpected hug. I was taken back but welcomed the hug.

"Just Lou is fine." I smile pulling back.

"Lou, then. Please come in. Hey Paul, long time so see," she smiles ushering is into the house

Emily's house was lovely, it was filled with wind chimes, hand made carvings and bespoke rugs. I could feel it hosted a multitude of enduring and loving memories. Emily had an open plan kitchen connected to a large living area filled with sofas and bean bags.  
I sat in the middle of the living room on a chair while Emily worked through my tangled hair. The rugged had been folded to make the clean up of my cut easier.

"You've got terrible split ends, my lovely." Shes say weaving the wide-tooth comb through my hair. Struggling at the ends.  
"I'm sure I can retain most of your length, I'll even it out until about here." She says drawing a line on my back around Bra strap length.

"Do what you've gotta do," I say

"When was the last time you cut it." She says beginning to cut the ends.  
"I can't even remember when I was at home, my mum would trim my hair every three months and I haven't gotten round to doing it since I've been here." I sigh.

"What changed," she said casually.

"She got sick and then we umm lost her," I say clearing my throat. Emily stops and puts her hands on my shoulder using her thumb to run small circles.

"I'm sorry to hear that Lou, I really am"

"Thank you," I smile looking up at her.

Getting my hair done had always been a sort of therapy sessions but it was one I usually spent with my mum. Those moments were special and now they were gone and when I lost her I didn't want anyone to touch my hair. I had only let Nana start to help me a month or two ago that's most likely when she released how bad my ends were.  
I smile, the time I spent with my mum would never change and I will always cherish those memories but I still have the opportunity to make new memories.  
Emily busied herself with cutting my hair and we fall into a comfortable conversation about both our pasts. We joke laugh and have a great chin wag. It felt good to feel free again. She finished off and sprites my hair with some holding spray.

" I didn't want to manipulate your curls too much they're perfect the way they are. What do you think?" she says as she passes me the hand mirror. I hold it up to my face. I looked great! She had given me a middle parting with my hair at the front curling around my heart-shaped face, it made my strong cheekbones and brown eyes stand out. The rest of my hair rested on my back, the curls were defined the ends looked a lot healthier giving my crown a fuller and denser look.

"It's great, I love it!" I say looking at my self from different angles.

"What do you think?" I say to Paul and Sam striking a pout pose. Paul had been sitting quietly talking to Sam on the island counter behind us

Sam nods profusely giving me the thumbs up and Paul smiles and twirls his finger. I do a little 360 for them.

"Stunning," he says. I grin and turn back to Emily brushing the stray hair off my clothes. Emily looks back at Paul with a raised brow followed by a long stare at me grinning ear to ear. I pretend not to see her.

"Lou would you like to stick around for dinner," she says mischievously

* * *

**Hey Guys, chapter 3 is up! Most people in London are practicing social distancing and self-isolating, this includes myself. Any tips on avoiding cabin fever? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Dead Man Walking**

"Does Emily always cook dinner for her clients?" I ask Paul as we sat on Emilys back porch steps soaking up what was left of the today's sun. Emily, Sam, and Jake were still inside chatting on the island.  
"Just the ones I like," he said smiling with teeth.  
In all honesty, Paul was the part of the reason I stayed. When Emily offered my first instinct was to politely decline but I could see Paul out of the corner of my eye hanging onto my every word. The other reason I stayed was to hang out with Emily and Sam they seemed cool and if I was going to start living my life and not just existing these were the people I wanted to be friends with.

"And that Acorn bread was delicious," I say glossing over Paul's comment.

"I need that recipe. I'll ask Emily before I leave," I throw my arms into the air and stretch reaching through my fingertips feeling the warm sun on my face. I caught Paul gazing at me with a lazy smile.  
"What?" I questioned

"Nothing it's just that when the light hits you just right, your eyes turn a little amber,"

"You're very observant," I recognize

"What are you doing on Saturday?" He says boldly. Was he asking me out on a date? I puckered my lips trying to make it look like I was thinking.

"Saturday, Saturday..." I muse chew on my bottom lip for effect, drawing out my words. Paul was looking at me intently waiting for my answer.

"I think I'm busy,"

"What bout Sunday then?" Truth be told I had no plans for the weekend yet but I couldn't make myself too available.

"I think I might be free,"

There was a light tap on the door that interrupted our conversation. Paul's head juts up with his nose in the air he tenses, I looked over my shoulder towards the house to see Jake runs through the house to the door. The door opens and it's a young woman runs into Jake's arms, they embrace and he swings her around.  
They were a fair distance away so I had trouble sending her aura, when I did finally homed in on it I saw it was fragmented. Jittering around her like broken pieces of glass stilled in the air and held up with unseen strings. It reminded me of a wind chime. Her aura was so shattered it looked as if she was only half here like the lights were on but there was no one home. What was this? What is it about this place that affects the auras these people have? Paul and I rise slowly from our place and make our way through the screen door.  
Walking in after her was a taller man, with bronze hair to match the shorter girl. I froze. There was nothing to him. No energy, no essence, his whole being was still and static and empty. This man had no aura at all. Like he was dead.

"Lou are you okay?" Paul said putting his hand on the small of my back almost guiding me into the house. I jumped slightly

"Yep," I strain a smile. Paul doesn't look convinced at all

"Who are they?"

"Jake's friends. Why what's wrong? Did you see something?" he says the last part in hushed voiced as I turn towards him slowly. Did he mean what I think he meant?

"No," I reply.

Jake turns and waves for us to come, I approach slowly with Paul beside me.

"Lou this is Nessie, maybe seeing her in the flesh will loosen your lips," Jake jokes.

"I'm Renesmee, Jake's told me all about you" she juts her hand out for me to take.  
I look down and take it cautiously and she shakes my hand enthusiastically. My body quivered slightly and it wasn't her cold hands that made a shiver crawl up my spine. No, it was the man standing behind her staring at me like he was drilling through my skull. There was a buzzing in my mind, a kind of knocking at my mental door. As though someone was trying to rob the house of my mind. I locked the doors drew the blinds and put up the shutters but still, the knocking persisted. I recognized what this was. How rude, he was trying to read me without my permission. He was evading my temple. Was he Warlock? If he was I would have sensed him a mile away. Maybe he dabbled in dark magic. I shut my mind on him completely. _**I see you!**_ I projected glaring at him. He was taken back. Did he think he could rummage through my mind without resistance, this wasn't a free for all?

"I'm Louisa," I smile back looking back at Renesmee for the first time. She looked exactly like the Nessie I saw in Jake's mind but older. She looked about my age, wavey bronze hair and pale skin however she had a tint of pink in her cheeks. She looked like Ophelia in real life.

"Yeah but we just call her Lou," Jake says throwing his arm over the two of us. Emily and Sam join us."Ness, how are you?" they hug

"Edward," sam says acknowledging the man standing behind Remesme.

"Sam, Paul," he greets back. Paul says nothing but just stares on.  
I look down at the coffee table and see my bad I begin to scavenge through it. I take some money out of my purse and leave it on the coffee table.

"Can you give me a lift home" I whisper.

"Sure" he nodded patting down his pockets, I assume looking for his keys.

"Thank's for everything Emily but I've just remembered I've got this thing to do with my Nan," I say giving her a quick side hug beside her guests.

Edward looms over me staring intently down at me. He stepped out of the way to let me pass through the door frame. I squeeze through trying to keep as much space between us as possible.

"What, you're leaving already?" Emily says looking disappointment. She clearly wanted to spend more time with each other.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," I say shouting walking towards the door truck while Paul unlocks the door.

"Bye guys, umm, nice meeting you," I waving while Paul opens the door for me while I jump in.

Emily, Sam, Jake, and Renesmee stand bewildered at the door watching the two of us drive off.

* * *

The drive back was quiet at first. I sat almost glued to the door staring at the window. My mind was racing wit the disturbing truth I've just seen, a body without an aura. The only time other time I've seen this was at my brother's wake, it was only then I knew he was truly gone. I subconsciously started to make my way to the middle of the cabby, to the exact same place I sat when I first got in the truck. When I finally reach my destination Paul rested a reassuring hand on my thigh. I anxiety began to simmer.

"There isn't a thing you need to do with you Nan is there," he says softly breaking the comfortable silence.

"Was it that obvious" I reply

"Yes and No. When you lie you flare your nostrils slightly. Like when you said you were busy on Saturday," chuckling slightly looking ahead on the road. My eyes widen.

"I do not!" I say elbowing him slightly, he laughs. After a while, he speaks up again.

"Do you know them? Edward and Renesme. Have you met them before?" He asks

"No never, they just rubbed me the wrong way."

"You guys didn't even speak a word to each other,"

"We didn't but still..."

"Don't worry," he says squeezing my thigh reassuringly

"I understand," he turns his head to look at me. I look back melting a little in my seat.

"You think so. Eyes on the road," I say turning his head towards the road. He laughs  
"I won't crash with you in here." He says pulling into my driveway and killing the engine. The sun had finally set.

"Thanks for the lift, " I say turning towards him

"Don't mention it, I'll be seeing you on Saturday anyway." He says leaning his head back on the headrest smirking.

"I said I'm busing on Saturday," I say collecting the bag from the seat beside me.

"There goes the nose flare"

"It does not!" I screech running up the porch steps and opening the door. Paul let's out a belting laugh from the truck.

I enter the house and throw my bag down on the stairs and walk into the kitchen find Nana sipping some tea, she looks up.  
"I thought I heard you come in. Oh, Lou that is a lovely cut, makes her hair look a lot fuller."

"You left me stranded," I say as she offers me a cup. I take a seat at our small kitchen table and pick up the floral porcelain teapot and pour a cup for myself.

"And look how great that turned out"

"You also left me with a stranger."

"Paul's not a stranger he was here last night wasn't he?" She raised her eyebrow at me, sipping her tea.

"That doesn't make it right, how do you know him anyway." I inhale the aroma and recognized the smell, oolong.

"Oh he and Sam have come over quite a few times to help with the DIY, they built the greenhouse in the back."

"Well let's agree not to do it again, can you even see over the steering wheel." I joke

" I drove myself around before you came and don't forget that," she said tapping the table with her boney finger.

"But let's not ignore what I saw as soon as you came in. What's got you so unnerved?"  
She knew me so well, it didn't help that my area was out in the open for her to see. I could conceal it but that would be ingenuine of me. Only witches and warlocks with something to hide hid their aura and I had nothing to hide.

"I saw something," I start.

"What did you see?"

"A man without an aura."

"A hiding warlock maybe." I shake my head

"It couldn't have been, I didn't sense any magic. This man had nothing no aura no energy no essence. He was just empty like when someone dies."

"Where did you see this,"

"At Emily's, he came with a girl whose aura looked... broken but she still had one"

And then I remembered what Jake said. He asked, am I like her half and half

"Do you know anything about Vampires?" The energy in the room shifted.

"Where did you hear that from?"

"Jake may have said something," told me

"Lou this is some really disturbing stuff," Nana says putting down her cup.

"Are they are real?" I ask she seemed to be taking this seriously.

"Well, I have only heard a handful of things from the grapevine. But Lou if this is what you say it is, you need to stay away from it." She grabs both of my hand that was holding my teacup.

"I think you're taking this out of proportion," I say trying to lighten the mood.

"No I don't think you're taking me seriously, do you know why they don't have an aura? Because their heart doesn't beat and by force or by fire they carry on driven by the one thought of blood."

Her aura grew and it consumed the room I could see she was mad on the surface and if I looked hard enough if I squinted and peered she seemed afraid.

"Blood," I repeat.

"Yes, Lou by blood and by the laws of nature blood magic is something you want to personally stay away from. You don't want to end up like your-" she quickly cuts herself of almost looking apologetic. Almost. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife.

"You can say it you know," I said softly trying to encourage what we both tried our best to ignore.  
"Your mother was lead down a dark path Lou, I don't want to see that happen to you."

I feel water begin to collect in my eyes accompanied by a tight throat. My mum simply had been consumed by the darkness, but these things were never simple. Darkness became her and soon as she started to endeavor in all this dark she wasn't even recognizable anymore. She wasn't my mother.

"I'm not her," I say.  
"I know you're not," she says stroking my cheek. There was a silence between us, something that had never been there before. Seeing as confessions were out on the table I might as well go all out.

"I've also been seeing other things" I begin

"Like what"  
"Those boys at Sue's BBQ, they've got a bit of a strange Aura to them too,"

Nana leans back on her chair smirking, her aura shrinking back with her. She pours more tea into her cup, I guess we'd just write the conversation we just had off.

"Oh really, that is strange," she knows something.

"What do you know old women." I jest

"Ha!" she cackled.

"They're not vampires too are they", I joke. She gives me a stern look. Too soon maybe.

"God no, read the Grimoires I gave you. If you had read them when I gave them too you this all would have clicked for you by now."

Those damn grimoires had been collecting dust under my bed as soon as she gave them to me. I put my head in my hands and groan. Sometimes talking to her was like bleeding a stone. I get up from the table and put my cup in the rinse and start to make my way to the door.

"Lou, I'm sorry about what I said, about your Mum. I wish I had been there maybe I could have helped," she apologies. I say nothing, it still very raw for me.

"I want you to know I love you and you're safe here."

"I know Nana," I say making my way upstairs.

* * *

**Hey Guys, Chapter 4 is now up. Let me know what you guys think :)**

**IsleySister**


	5. Chapter 5

**Explosions at the fair**

In the next week that followed, the only progress I made on the grimoires was fishing them out from underneath my bed. Their condition wasn't great and the binding was fragile. What did I expect they were hundreds of years old. They had been passed down through families or traded across families. They could handle Nana's light fingers turning the pages but I doubt they'd survive a run with me.

I walked into the greenhouse to find Nana water some plants. It wasn't a big at all just a couple of meters long with a path in the middle separating the fruits and vegetables from the herbs and roots. We didn't have a big collection but we had a lot of variety.

"Do you have any Red Jasper?" I ask kneeling between the herbs. A small little frog had made this place its holiday home here a while ago and I was counting on it being here today.

"Have a look in the treasure draw in my room?" she responses.

I see the frog lounging a eucalyptus leaf. We're nose to nose, it's frog eyes meeting mine. I raise my hand slowly and capture him. The frog doesn't squirm or try to get away, it just lays still in my hand.

"Leave Nigel alone" Nana chimes  
"Nigel? You named it, how do you know it's a boy?" I say bring him close to my face and turning him in my hand to see if I could see anything that might define its sex. I had no clue what I was supposed to be looking at.

"Of course! What are you doing with him."

I don't even answer I just get up on my feet and make my way back to my room. I close the door with my foot and take a seat in front of my vanity mirror which doubled up as a work station. I gentle place Nigel in a little bowl of water I had prepared for him. He got right to swimming around in little circles, he seemed to enjoy himself. I left him there for a moment and went into Nana's room for the Red Jasper. I slowly open the door to find her room as immaculate as ever. Everything single thing had a place, from her candles that were in a neat row on her bedside table to her pens in their little pot. I walk around her bed and open the first draw of her bedside table. Wow! I didn't know she had this many crystals, her draw was absolutely filled to the ring with crystals and stones all in different colours and sizes. She had clear quartz, rose quartz, moonstones, obsidian, tiger eye's and everything in between. The contents of her draw were all neatly separated into their to sections and compartments. I spotted a nice small red jasper and closed the draw returning to Nigel.

I added the red jasper to my pestle which already contained a touch of wet clay and a few thyme leaves. Nigel's outer layer of mucus was the final ingredient I needed for my concoction. I take Nigel out of the water and run a cotton bud over the top of his head and down his back. He closed his big eyes each time the cotton bud ran over his head. I pop him back in the bowl and swiped the cotton bud on the side a few times to get to the mucus to fall into the pestle. I sit back and look at the accompanying hand grinder. No, I didn't want to get my clothes dirty and I don't think I have the elbow grease in me to crush a stone.  
I outstretched my hand with my palm facing up and imagine what the weight of the contents if my pestle would feel like in my hand. I thought about each component and how they felt to touch them individually and how they would feel once together. The items in the pestle began to elevate in front of me. My knuckles tighten and I start to crush my hand. The elements condense together, the red jasper breaks down into little particles that blend into the clay. The clay takes on the thyme pieces and consumes it, soon the mixture is fully integrated. Once I'm satisfied I release my hand over the grimoires. The solution sink and is absorbed by the front page, the book swells slightly and then it returns to its original size.

"Sorry Nigel, you're in the way," I say and take him out of the water bowl, setting him on the bed behind me. I open the grimoire on a random page and pour the water onto the grimoire. As soon the droplets touch the page it was like the same side of a magnet had come into contact the water was repelled instantly and driven to the floor. I reach out and touch the pages to find them dry. So it was water-resistance, interesting. I now tentatively try to tear a page but couldn't, but there was no budge. I tried with a bit more force, holding one side of the grimoire down and tearing this my other hand and still nothing. Impressive. Now for the real test. I try as quickly as I can to tie my hair into my ponytail. I stand up from my desk and ball my right hand into a fist, digging my nails in the palm. My hand begins to heat up and a small spark starts to form begins. It began small and quickly grew into a tennis ball size blaze. I raise my hand above my head and throw the fireball at the grimoire. The grimoire ignites and starts to burn. Crap was it really burning? I quickly turn to get a blanket in hopes that I could snuff the fire out before it got out of hand but as soon as I turned back the fire was gone. My eyebrows draw together as I stand there bewildered. It was cool to the touch. As soon as my fingers leave it the book begins to sparks, embers were flying out of the grimoire landing all over my desk and floor as it began to shake. It looked like it was going to explode. I outstretched my palm in front of me and solidifying my aura in front as a force field just before the book explodes, sending me flying back into the drywall. The wall cracks on impact and I fall in a heap onto my bed.

I hear the urgent pitter-patter of feet slapping on the floor as they climb the stairs, my door was then thrown open and Nan comes rushing in.

"Lou! What happened? Are you okay? Lord look a the wall."

I feel Nana come to side and fish me out from under the cushions that had fallen on top of me. My ears were ringing and I was slightly disorientated. The room was full of smoke. I begun to get off the bed.

"I made a protective potion for the grimoires and my test backfired." I wheeze rubbing the back of my head which was tender to the touch. I push my solidified aura out towards my windows to open them with a bang.

"It blew up," I say getting up from the bed and turn to Nana standing there with a handkerchief over her mouth.

"Louisa, they are antiques! Hundreds of years old!"

"I know, I'm sorry. If I find the pieces I can fix it." I say walking to the bomb site. I wave my hand over the desk trying to clear the smoke and there it was the grimoire, not a scratch on it that wasn't there before. I squint through the clearing smoke to see Nigel sitting onto of it looking up at me.

"Nigel," Nana cry out scoping him up. I pick up the grimoire, it's cold and cool to the touch. So it worked. I hold it up for Nana to see.  
"Looks it's fine, damn I'm good," I say pushing it into her face.

"Luckily for you. Come on Nigel, this is no place for a frog like you. I'll tell you what you can do, fix that wall," she says making her way out of my room.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking!' I call after her.

Bang! I quickly turn around to see my shelf now on the floor and a big gaping hole in my wall. What a mess.

"Fuck!"

I had finally finished clearing up the wreck which was my room when there was a knock at the front door. I walked down the stairs and up to the keyhole to see Paul standing there with his hands in his pockets. Was he wearing a shirt, he looked good? Fuck he actually came. I open the door.

"Hey!" I smile.

"Hey Lou, are you ready?" He says. I guess that was a polite way of saying I definitely didn't look ready as I stood at the door in a loose t-shirt and cotton shorts.

"I said I was busy today."

"You don't look busy."

"I'm busy doing home things."

"Well, are you not allowed to come out to play for a little while." He says leaning over me now. I let in an instinctive inhale, he smelt of cocoa butter and vanilla. Mhhh he smells good.

"So what do you say?"

"Urrrr I've got- "

"Oh, she'd love to go!" Nana enthused popping up for the background.

"Why don't you go upstairs and get ready and I'll look after Paulie," she says leading him into the kitchen  
"Would you like some tea darling?"

"Sure only if Lou wants to go out. I won't force you." He says looking back at me.  
"I do." I blurted out. He smirks and raises an eyebrow at me.

"Then get upstairs and get dressed" Nana points. I climb the stairs to my room and close the door behind me.

I came downstair 30 minutes later wearing a loose slip dress and carrying an oversized white shirt in case my shoulders got cold. Each time I tried to tie my hair up or tie it back, the back of my head throbbed. I probably had a bruise so I left it out, wearing my curly fringe Emily gave me. I popped my head around the door of the kitchen to see Paul and Nana sipping some tea. As soon as Paul saw me he put his cup down and gets up from his seat.

"Let's go," I say.

"You look -" he begins.

"Your speechless, how cute" I joke taking his arm as we walk to his car. When our skin came into contact there was a small jolt of electricity as our eyes met. Had he felt that too?

"You didn't let me finish," He says opening the car door for me.

Paul had brought us to a pier that was filled to the brim with people everywhere. These people were spouting hands of pink cotton candy and trailing behind them were trails of tickets they had bought for rides and games. I hadn't been to a funfair since I was a child.

"So what do you want to do first?" Paul asks from next to me

" I don't even know where to begin, bumper cars?" I say already dragging him in the direction of the line.

"I haven't been to a fair since I was a kid," I say as we join the queue.

"Is this your go-to date stop?" I enquire cheekily.

"No, this is my first," he replies.

"Your first time bring a date here?"

"Something like that," he says.

While lining up I thought it would be good to get to know each other more, we didn't have much of an opportunity on Sunday when I ran out on them at Emily's.

"What do you do?" I ask

"A do a bit of this and a bit of that. I teach some kickboxing classes at the community center on the Res a couple of evenings a week," he answered as we shuffle forward in the line.

"How charitable, well you know where I work because you saw me there." I began babbled on nervously. What was it about this guy that had me a hot mess. He chuckled. I had noticed while we were talking that a lot of people were staring at us. Whenever I would look in their direction they would turn away. Almost every person who past the queue had to look their head in our direction. It was only then I realized that it wasn't us they were staring but it was Paul. I mean what not to stare at. He was gorgeous. He was almost seven feet tall, great bone structure and a toned bodyHe was every girl's wet dream, tall, dark and handsome. It didn't seem to faze him at all that people stared, he was most likely used to it by now. His unbothered approach made him even more attractive. Don't we all like a humble man I thought while beaming?

"Relax," he says draping his arm over my shoulder giving me a little side hug

"I like you already"

I continued to pepper him with questions in the queue to the bumper cars and in the queue to the haunted house and every opportunity I had. He didn't get annoyed when I prayed and investigated him, he seemed to find it amusing. He even seemed to enjoy sharing with me. I became more comfortable and less flustered the more we spoke, our energies had aligned and we were on the same wavelength. We decided to take a small detour down the beach before returning to his car.

As we were walking side by side our fingers brushed and before I could pull away he grabbed onto my hand and held it in his. We come to a stop by the waterfront and face each other. We look at each other and he lowers his head down to mine while we slowly inch closer to each other.

"Lou!" I hear someone call out. we are snatched out of our bubble by Jake's voice in the background. I turn to see Jake walking hand in hand with Renesmee, she waves. Her again!

"Are you with Paul? Is Paul in a shirt?" He burst into laughter.

"Jacob," Renesmee chastised.

"I've just never seen him in a shirt before," Paul stiffen beside me.

"We're fine thanks for asking," I interject trying to distract Jake. I begin to uneven our fingers as they approach but Paul holds my hand steady.

"Hey, Lou!" She greets.

"Hey," I reply, her aura still unsettled me a little.

"How are you liking the fair," Renesmee asks.

"Good until you guys showed up," Paul seethes.

We stand there awkwardly in front of each other. They had no clue they had interrupted what would have been our first kiss. Renesmee just stared at me with a wide smile I gave her a tight-lipped smile back as I looked between the two of them.

"Oh, I see," Renesmee exclaims, winking at me and tugging on Jake's arm.

"I think I want to go back to the arcade." She says dragging a laughing Jake away. So she could take a hint, maybe she wasn't so bad after all.

"I thought they'd never leave." Paul sighs, taking my face into his hands and kisses me.

* * *

**Hey Guy's, Chapter 5 is now up and running. Have a read and leave a comment! I've been at home for three weeks now in lockdown, I'm becoming very envious of the postman. Shout out to all the key workings all over the globe going into work every single day for us. Until next week- Isley Sister :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Show me!**

We pull away from each other with Paul gently cradling my face in his large hands, I place my hands over his.

"I.." I begin but trail off.

"You're speechless I see." He says mimicking me, letting out a breathy chuckle leaning forward to rubbing our noses together.  
I shiver slightly pulling away and bringing my shirt closer around me.

"Should we get you home?" He says running his hands over my arms. I nod.

"No, not yet," I say as we begin to walk hand in hand back to the fair.

"Paul," I call out turning the corner. I look behind me and then around the corner again. We had split up in the haunted house to make things more interesting since we were the only ones in here. We made a bet on who would make it to the exit first, he was cocky enough to insinuate that he'd come and find me if I took too long this, which activated the adrenaline in my body. I used my fear and excitement to drive me on in search of the exit. I came across hanging mannequins and cardboard cutouts of ghouls that cackled and flashed when they jumped out at me. The house was filled to the brim with the mechanic fog that had clearly gotten out of hand. The moss green lights gave the fog a levitating effect as it rose from the ground.

I was currently stuck in the funhouse mirror section of the hunted house and it wasn't going well, I had made multiple wrong turns into dead ends just to look at my reflection in pure disappointment. I've seen a tone of video of young children and adults walking into the fake mirrors. At the time of watching these videos, I laughed and ridiculed them. How can they not see what was right in front of them, I asked myself? With all my intensive research I was not prepared for how hard it was to differentiate between what was fake and real. I cautiously walked with one arm stretched out in front of me acting as a sensor. I spin round as I hear shuffling footsteps behind me and. My heart begins to quicken beating so loud it became my own personal anxiety soundtrack. Every sudden burst of fog gas and the echoing laughter of the house was pushing me over the edge. I can hear the footsteps much clearer now  
"Paul," I call out again tentatively.

When I fail to hear a reply I quicken my step, looking up to see the luminous sign that screamed EXIT. I was in the desert and this was my oasis. To get there all I needed to do was walk between the two mirrors that distorted ande stretched out my form. simple enough I though. I walk towards the sign as I heard the step become more prevalent, I look back seeing nothing but fog. Breaking out into a run I am cut short as I slam into glass that stood between me and my goal. I fall onto the floor with a groan, feeling a shooting pain in the bridge of my nose. During my fall the footsteps behind me did not give up. While on the floor collecting myself I turn my back against the glass and sat like a dear in headlights waiting to be devoured.  
"Paul," I call out one last time in a ditch effort before screaming. My hand scramble to find my necklace as a precaution. Out of the fog came Renesmee. Even though she was a familiar face I continued to scream.

"Wow calm down, these houses aren't supposed to be that scary," she says extending her hand for me to take. I get up independently, brushing myself off. She retracts her hand staring at me silently for a second or two before sighing.

"You don't like me much do you?" she asks

"It's not that, I just don't know you," I say back, and I've been told to stay away from you I add mentally.

"You don't know Paul either," she says bitterly. I say nothing this. She had a point, I had barely known Paul one week and I was falling over my own feet when it came to him.

"When Jake told me you might be like me I thought we could be friends you know" I felt a little twinge in my chest but still said nothing. She continues to look at me.

"You're bleeding." She adds turning from me. I was about to dispute this but then I heard the tapping of my blood dripping from my nose onto the floor. Driven by blood, I heard Nana's words as clear as day in my head. I step back pressing myself closer to glass.

"You don't need to worry about me, I prefer to eat food anyway," she says smiling. I guess she was trying to litten the mood but it didn't help at all. She turns on her heels and walks back the way I had come. I walk after her, that was the only direction I could walk in anyway. As I catch up with her she starts to speak.

"I have the gift of sharing." She starts.

"When I touch someone I can share my thoughts. Are you the same?" she turns towards me, I say nothing. My silence only fuels her on.

"Edward is telepathic," she looked at me from the corner of her eye, obviously jagging my reaction.

"He told me you shut him out." I still didn't respond.

"We all know you're different and it's just a matter of time before we find out," she sighs, that sounded like an ultimatum. I finally broke my silence

"It's a nosey little town you have here."

"That's what small towns are like." I stop walking.

"You guys just don't stop do you?" I question, they're so inquisitive here. Why can't I catch a break? No wonder she and Jake are together.

"We can be very persistent," she says proudly. I give in slightly.

"Look, what I am doesn't have a name, it's just a way of life."

"Are you some sort of spiritualist," she scoffs.

"Something like that," I give.

"You are, aren't you. You're some sort of spiritualist witch!" She exclaims. There is was the W-word.

"And don't think I don't know what you are vampire!" I snap back. She holds her hand up in defense.

"Hey! Don't be like that I won't tell. Do you fly, like on a broom?" She starts laughing. Decades of pop culture had kept the unsuspected off our backs but they also gave us a very distinct look. I groan.

"Now we can be friends no problem," she says beaming, linking arms with me. She was so innocent, I almost wanted to be her friend. The exit sign is finally within reach with that phony piece of glass standing between us. I feel the glee radiating off her. I see Paul waiting outside the barriers walking up and down.

"I wish it was that easy,"

"Why can't it be?" she says.

"Have a good night Renesmee," I say leaving her standing there to rejoin Paul.

"I thought you were meant to find me," I say playfully swatting him. He pulls me into a bear hug breathing in my scent.  
"That dork wouldn't let me in back through the exit, so I've been waiting here. What happened to your nose?" He says tilting my face up.

"Oh, you should see the other guy,"

"What! Who did this?" he says looking around frantically. I grab his face to still his movements.

"I didn't mean it literally, I walked into a wall," I explain.

"I can kick down the wall," he offers

"Nah, it's all good, I think I'm ready to go home now" I smile

* * *

I sit on my bed with my legs crossed licking my lips slowly, remembering what it felt like to have Paul's lips touch mine. I shake my head trying not to let these thoughts distract me. I look down at the Grimoire but am pulled back into the earlier events fo the evening.

Paul and I had shared a very heated moment on my front porch. What was meant to be a quick kiss goodbye had turned into a very passion session. At one point he had me pinned against the front door with his body pressed firmly against mine, trailing his hand up my hitched leg to squeezing my thigh. I would have invited me in if Nana hadn't begun to knocked persistently on the living room window. He pulled away and cleared his throat, his face was even a little red. Embarrassment maybe but at the time I didn't care. It wasn't until I entered the house when my ear heated up.

"Nice evening eii," she said before.

"We're just friends," I blurted out my nonsensical justification.  
"It didn't look like that from here." She calls after me as I bolted up the stairs. I shake my head trying to rid myself of the thought before I got stuck into the endless hole of abyss of my imagination. I take a deep breath

"Show me auras," I command. The grimoires opens and is still for a moment before the page began to turn on their own accord. They first flipped forward all the way to the end of the grimoire, then they fluttered backward to the beginning of the grimoire slowing and then finally coming to a stop around the first third of the book.  
This grimoire was old, the colors were slightly faded this however did not distract me from the intricate detail in the pictures that lined the pages or from the calligraphy of the words. This particular page was an explosion of color. To the untrained eye, this resembled a random or impressionist assembly of lilacs, magnolias, reds and sunset oranges. To me, these colors and shapes represented different auras that surrounded each and every person on the planet. Well, every living person.

"An aura is an electromagnetic energy field idiosyncratic to the host's body. Auras reflects the host's mental and physical stability, changing with their ebbs and flows." I read aloud. I already know this. I continue.

"Auras in a static form do not travel far from their host, however, Therianthrope hosts have a looser hold on their auras which are able to shift as they do." Therian- what, I've never heard of this before.

"Show me therianthropes," I command. The grimoire shifts two pages. I guess I could have done that myself.

Therianthropy, the ability to shapeshift into animals. There are culturally and regionally limitations to this gift however these can be overcome with strict training and/or the aid of elixirs.

Bingo! This had to be it!  
"Show me, northern American therianthropes," I commanded. The grimoire pages ruffled and it closes with a bang.

I repeated my command, "show me north American therianthropes". The grimoire stays shut.

"It's not in that one Lou," I hear Nana call from downstairs. I get up from the bed and walk to lean over the banister. I look down at Nana's sitting on the sofa with a light blanket thrown over her legs that were resting on a stool.

"You could have told me you know," I call ou scolding her as she looks up from her seat putting down her book.

"I did,"

"When?"

"I told you there was something different about this town."

"That's so cryptic, how was I going to get that."

"Well I can't give you all the answers," she huffs picking her book up again. I lean my back against the banister and cross my arms like a disobedient child.

"And now what?" I ask

"Oh, Lou you really are slow sometimes. Be happy you don't have to hide or pretend anymore. No more imposter syndrome," she tutted at me. The person I was behind closed doors with my family was extremely different from the Louisa that was out with her friends it public. Our lifestyle wasn't something people took seriously, it was difficult to pretend to be normal like everyone else but being myself wasn't something the outside world could handle. We were highly empathetic people and the vast majority of the population were used to keeping their feelings to themselves. How could I tell Ruby I felt tearful when they thought about her deceased dog? How could I tell Alister I felt hot under the collar when he ogling Dianna's breast. I just couldn't those! I couldn't think of a scenario where this conversation would have gone well. So I hid my true self from the outside world.

"What if they think I'm weird," I say.

"Oh hush now, they turn into dogs at will. It would be hypocritical from them to think you're the weird one. Ridiculous!" She had a point, but I had never come out before.

"Dogs," I exclaim

"Sorry have you not got gotten to that part yet? You're just like your father I had to handhold I'm a lot too" I shake my head, no.

"Do they know already about us?" I asked

"I don't think so," she mused on this for a moment.

"Then why am I your genie pig!" I call out.

"You're young and trying to build roots here and I don't even practice anymore," she says waving me off. The idea of being 100% of my true self outside the household was tempting. It was the glowing green egg in the cave and I was the explorer, there to steal it.

"And, I'm sure after that performance at the BBQ, they're a bit suspiciously. If you don't have to hide why should you."

She then adds, "I also hope you'll be practicing safe-" before she could continue I stop her.  
"Oh my god, please stop talking," I say quickly retreating into my room. Hearing her laughter ring through the house, she did cackel like those cartoon witches.

* * *

**Hey Guys, the next chapter is up! Let me know your thoughts - Isley Sister :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Once in a Blue Moon**

"No,"

"Please," I implored  
"I'll be super quiet, you won't even know I'm there," I say carefully tiptoeing around the creaky floorboard to come between him and the door, spreading myself out like a cross.

"You. Quiet. Don't make me laugh." George says throwing his head back

"I promise I'll keep my mouth shut," I imitate sowing my mouth shut and throwing away the key.  
"Why don't you go with your own friends,"

"You know I don't have any who practice," I rebut stubbornly

"Well find friends that do," Geoge says peeling me from the front door. We struggle but he succeeds in removing me from the door.

"You're not being fair Georgie," I say crossing my arms.

"I can't do what I need to do if you're there, I'll have to look after you every minute. I'm not saying no to be mean," he says unlocking the front door

"I can look after myself." I pointed out and added, "I don't need to be babied, I can look after myself."

"Maybe next month" he offers but it's not enough.

"The Blue moon won't be there next month," he shrugs, leaving quietly closing the door behind him. I continue to stand in place, looking at the space he once occupied.

No wasn't a word I heard often, and it most certainly wasn't one I cared to respect. I waited 30 minutes before leaving the house myself, I knew exactly where George was going because he went to the same place every month to meet his friends. The Heath. He would take me every month because I blabbered to our Mum about the advanced magic that was being practiced.  
I stood outside the gates of the Heath dressed all in black with a small kinetic flashlight in my hand. The gate was locked as expected most public parks closed its gate at night. I had been here many times to know that there was a workaround to this. I made my way up the hill and into the thicket to pass into the park. I followed the gravel path past the cafe and up towards the dense trees of the Heath. I used my flashlight to light my way when I turned off the public gravel path and into the freeform trees. As I got closer to Georges usually hang out I could see an amber glow in the distance. I turned off my flashlight, using the glow of the fire to lead me the rest of the way. I trod carefully, trying to avoid any leaves of twigs slowing down as I heard their voices come into earshot.

There they were George, Luke, and Lee clustered near a small fire that had built. Finding a stop among some brush, I sat within the greenery trying to get a clear view of what the were doing. While getting comfortable my hand brushed something rough. Using my hands as my eyes I identified that it was a small duffle bag. A rough sleeper's belongings? I push the bag aside and deeper into the brush making myself some space.

I watched their session, I saw how they practiced telekinesis, throwing fallen tree trunks around, aura projections, and Georges specialty animal control. We all have at least one thing we're best at and George's mind was his sharpest toll. George inherited his fondness for animals from our dad who was an entomologist. We were very young or little family would come into the Heath and dada and George would turn over every rock, branch, and decaying logs they could find to exam its inhabitants. I did not inherit this shared love for the critters and on days dad's collection would drill a prison break in the house I was in living hell. I'd run around screaming for them to get away even raising my foot to stop on them to my dad's horror. George would say something on the lines of "enough" or "no" and they would listen turning back into Dad's office or scurry off to freedom. As George got older he was able to influence bigger animals, the neighborhood dog that would relentlessly hump everything insight or the pigeons that would away fly into our kitchen window. He got so good at it he didn't even need to speak the words. He said he just released his intention into their mind and if I wanted to help I needed to start small but my distaste for insects meant that I didn't want to even attempt it but I loved to watch. As I sat perched peering between two bushes a twig snapped behind me  
I froze. First, it was just one twig and then another and finally steady pitter-patter of feet approaching. The boys heard it too. The had been working with a few squirrels scurried away, some climbing trees and others disappearing into the night. The lights that gleamed in the night light UFO's came closers and closer. The boys rushed to out their campfire. The police maybe? I didn't dare to breathe.

The group haphazardly wielding their flashlights came into view. I wasn't relieved to see that it wasn't the police. The two groups stood staring at each other.

"What's going on here," one of the two guys said. I took this as my chance to quietly slip away, the boys could handle themselves. As I began to back myself out of my hiding place my foot comes into contact with something firm. Fuck! I look behind me to see a third man staring down at me. His beard was patching, his lips were dry and cracked and his eyes were as big as saucers. His darting tongue didn't make me feel any easier. He leans down towards me as I dart out of the way. As if I was never there he harshly hacks at the bush breaking twig after twig looking for something. I begin to rise, trying to keep look to make break my cover. The man whips around and walks towards me.

"Where is it?" He says. I ignore him and continue to backtrack, I hear his steps behind me and my rips off my hood along with my hairband, my hair falling around me

"Where is it?" he says reaching for a handful of my hair. You've got to love a head full of hair but damn did I have a tender scalp. I recoil shrieking into him trying to ease the hand gripping my curls.  
"What have you done with it." The accusation began to fly swarming me. In the distance, I heard George and the group of guys conversing.

"Nothing, we were leaving anyway," Luke says

"I didn't take anything," I say wincing as he begins to drag me up the hill towards to group. Fuck!

"Don't fucking lie to me where is the bag!" He screams in my face his hot breath radiating on the side of my face, punching me in the ribs. I cry out winded, feeling my eyes pool with tears. I could barely see anything with the river of tears flowing. My assailant whistles bringing me out to off bushes and into the frontline, throwing me to the ground.

"It's gone, the bitches off with the stuff." I curl into my side trying to get up. For a slender guy, he packed a powerful punch. I look up to see George, Luke, and Lee, all gaw has dropped. I hang my head.  
Why do you never listen, George projected? The man that had found me began to get irate, paced back and forth relentlessly. Lee approaches me to help me, projecting you alright? Just stay calm. The closer Lee came the more agitated the man got, he rushes over to me.

"What do you think you're doing, do you know her", he drags me by my hair up from the ground. I cry out.  
"Nah but the girls crying, we'll help her down the hill and out of here."

"What a coincidence, you're here out in the middle of the night and she there creeping around on the floor. Stealing, how do you not know each other?" The man with the shaved head spoke walking up towards me. He walked with confidence. He gets closer to me and brings his face close to mine. He lifts his hand, I flinch struggling in my captor's grip. He pushes the excess hair out of my face I begin to thrash  
"Stop," George shouts I hear as shuffle behind me and a distinct clicks.  
"Wow wow, what the hell is this?" George exclaims.

"Let keep it civil," Lee says.  
The blonde man in front on me grabs my face firmly, and comes in closer to whisper,  
"I like it when they cry." just when you thought it couldn't get any worse. He turns toward George,  
"You said you were leaving, so leave."

"That's my sister, man."

"So you do know her. So you're a liar. For your sake, I hope lying doesn't run in the family."

"Where's the bag little girl?" he asked.

"I saw a bag, all I did was push it to the side. That's all I swear," I answer frantically.

"Are you crazy! Put down the gun" gun, was that what I heard!

"Please, just check" I pleaded.  
"Shhh okay okay. Ben, take another look. And you can wait here this me." he says giving me a toothy smile, stroking my cheek with the back of his finger.

"Don't paw at her like that, she's underage for god sake," George shouts.

Ben releases me and pushes me into the perv. The pressure that had built up around my scale began to dissolve, unfortunately, the same cannot be the same for my ribs.

_Lou are you okay - Lee_

_It's just my ribs -I answer_

_We've got to do something - George_

_Let's run for it_

_They have guns, we need to keep our head level - Luke_

_She's my sister! -George_

_She's like a sister to us too, but I agree we need to stay calm. I think they're on spice or something. Just look at them - Luke_

_Lou, do you have your necklace? - George_

_Yeah_

"You're very pretty," he says running his hand up and down my arms, I shrug him off  
"Lovely lips for-" he started before being cut off.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing" George shouts

"Stay the fuck where you are or he blows your brains out," he shouts Ben comes back with the bag.

"We should check it. Make sure everything is there." He says rubbing his nose pacing up and down guttering.

"Check it." He says not taking his eyes from me.

"It looks like it's all there but how can we be sure?". This guy just couldn't give it up.

"All looks to be in order. Such a shame we could have had a great time princess."

His grip loosens, I slip out and turn towards George. I feel a familiar hand in my hair dragging me back.  
"We can't let them leave, she seen my face D. She knows my name. We've got to end this now" I feel a cool line on my throat and look down. A knife! Everyone turned to us, even the blonde guy  
"You've got your bag now let her go."

"Ben I told you to lay off the stuff."  
Lou now would be a good time to use that necklace of yours George projected. I heard what he said clearly in my mind but I couldn't respond. I couldn't move I couldn't think I couldn't go anything. I just stood there still like a statue. I began to regret every decision I made up until that point in the day. I should have to listen. I never should have come.

I'm not waiting anymore.

Before I could even comprehend George charges towards the goon with the gun. In a panic, the gun fires. My eyes instinctively close with the sound of the firearm going off. I open my eyes struggling against, I see the goon on the floor propelled by George's hardened aura. D spins around reaching into his pocket while Lee tackles him to the floor.

George shouts, "Be still!"

The body behind me stiffened for a moment. Ben seems paralyzed.

"I can't hold him for long Luke get her," George screams

"Lou!" They all scream simultaneously.  
I feel a warm sensation cascade down my body as I'm pushed to the ground onto my knees. My hand instantly racing to my throat I pull my hand away to see it soaked in my own blood. I domino had fallen and my breathing became erratic, I began to shake and fall further onto the floor. I tried desperately to stop the blood from seeping out of my neck as I lay on the ground. Someone turns me over onto my back as I begin to choke. My hands are thrown away from my neck.

"Pinch the artery closed," Luke shouts. It's hard to breathe.

"Lou looks at me," I try to open my eyes and see Lee above his hands around my neck.

"Le," I straining gargling blood.

"Don't try to talk Lou Lou, you're gonna be fine," George said pushing the blood-stained hair from my face. I was going to die all because I couldn't listen. My body was reacting and there was nothing I could do about it.

"LOU!" my eyes begin to roll everything becomes hazy.

"She can't breath!"

My eyes closed and embrace by oblivion.

I awake with a start in my bed. I'm breathing hard and sweating. This wasn't my room. I didn't have curtains. I wipe the sweat off my forehead. Then it all came back to me, I was living with Nana and this was my Dad's old room that was now mine. I throw my cover to the floor and open the balcony blinds. It's still dark out, I rest my face on the cold glass seeing my breath fog the surface. I watch as the condensation expands and retreats over and over again. I look up to see the blue moon.

"Why are you torturing me," whisper crawling back to my bed.

Buzzzzz. Buzzzzz. My eyes open reluctantly, my lids were heavy. I rummage under my pillow looking for my phone.

"Hello," I answered groggily.

"Well good afternoon sunshine," the voice answers back.

"Emily?"

"Yeah that's what caller ID's for hun," she jokes.

"How can you be so upbeat in the morning?" I complain sitting up.

"Lou it's after 2," Emily says I turning my phone to my face, squinting at the bright light. 14:23. Holey shit it was so late, I groan.

"Can't believe I slept in so late."

"Late night with Paul," she laughs

"Something like that."

"I knew it, I knew it," she exclaimed.

"You guys were really hitting it off. Anyways you can make up the remainder of your day by coming over"

"But I just woke up," I explain.

"Paul will be there." My ears perked up at that.

"I knew you'd like that." She laughed.

"So see you in an hour or so, okay byeeeeee." She said before hanging up. I look down at my phone my mind still fogged by sleep. I see my face in my vanity mirror on the other side of the room. I looked like shit. I huff throwing myself out of my bed and into the bathroom.

I tried my best to look presentable. I concealed the bags under my eyes and applied some bronzers to the harsh lines of my face. I left my hair out twirling the bangs with my finger. I looked in the rearview mirror of the car, Nana was right I looked exhausted. I was about to knock on the door when Emily threw it open and pulled me into a big hug. Pulling back she says, "it took to two hours but I'm just happy you're here." I smile.

"I would have been here sooner if I didn't take so many dead ends. I've never driven here before alone," I explain.

She holds me at arm's length for a while her eyes ran over my face but she didn't say anything.

"Lou," Paul says from behind Emily.

"Hey," I say blushing slighting thinking about our goodbye last night. He pulls me into a hug with his head resting on the top of my head. I wrap my arms around his torso. After a tumultuous night, I relaxed into his embrace, feeling my anxiety ease slightly. He was my antidote. He pulls back and gives me a firm kiss on the lips, bending down to rest his forehead against mine. I pull away a bit embarrassed by kissing in front of his friends.

His thumb caressed the underside of my eyes as he says, "late night." He asked  
"The latest," I say not giving much away.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah fine." I smile. He doesn't seem convinced but he leaves it be, pulling me towards to sofa. The living room was filled with familiar faces. Jared, Sam, Seth, the girl that had been at Sue's, Jake, and of course Renesmee.

"Heyia," I greeted everyone. The girl sitting on the plush turns towards me,

"I'm Leah, I was at Sue's," she says, her voice

"Yeah I remember, how's it going."

"Good, you're like a shiny new toy everyone is raving about you."  
She says I was taken back slightly being caught off guard.

"I've been here a while now, so I'm old news now" I joke. I wasn't too sure if it had landed or not, everyone seems to have been watching us.  
"Ha, I like you," she laughs sinking back into the plush. There seemed to be a sigh of relief in the air, everyone's shoulders relaxed slightly.

"So let's not beat around the bush here, we want to talk." Jake pipes in for the corner of the sofa with his arm draped over Renesmee's shoulder.

"She ain't even say down yet, Jacob," Paul seethe from behind me.

"What is this, an intervention?" I joke.

"I love this girl." Leah chimes.

"Don't worry guys you won't have to beat it out of me this time."

"So it's true what you told Nessi," Sam adds from behind me at the counter.

"You're a..."

"A Witch," I say helping him out.

"Well yes,"

"I told you! I told you, man! You owe me $50." Seth says shaking Jared relentlessly. Apart from their outbreak, the room was silent. Paul rested his hand on the small of my back. Emily comes in with a tray of glasses.

"No biggy, we've also got a secret to share," she says handing the full tray to Sam while leaning into his side.

"Tell her Sam." She enthused

"You might want to take a seat for this."

"Not to worry I already you guys turn into dogs." Paul's hand shook on my back I turned to see him stifling a laugh.  
"Dog! Lou! We turn into magnetic Wolfs to protect our tribe." Seth says standing on the sofa, giving us a performance of a lifetime.  
"Tell her Paul, she'll listen to you."

Paul pulls me close to him and whispers in my ear,

"We turn into majestic wolf baby" he couldn't even finish his sentence without laughing. What makes Seth think I'll listen to Paul. All Paul's actions are suggested had known each other longer then we had and the rational part of my mind wanted to slow things down. But on the other side of my mind, I couldn't help but turn a blind eye and live in the moment.

"Sorry, wolf," I respond holding my hands up in surrender.

"And she knows about the vampires," Renesmee added.

"Yep, how many are there by the way?" I ask

"Well there are seven of us in my family but I guess there are loads around the world" she answers. Blimey!

"Bloody hell!"

"Can you fly?"

"Do you melt in water,"

"Do you have a wand?" Seth and Jared blurted out an onslaught of questions. Paul seem looked at me about to hang on my every word.

"No, I can't do any of that."

"Show us something." Jared pleaded.

"You saw what happened at the Jake"

"Show us something nice then."

"Nice" I repeat."

"Yeah nice," I chew on my lip looking around and spotted a vase with flowers that had begun to turn.

"Pass me that vase behind you Emily," I say Emily passes it along as.

"It's my favorite vase, be careful." I look at the flowers, the stems were bent and the colors were fading. Even though they were submerged in water, I could tell they only had a handful of days left until their shelf life would expire. I take hold of an immature bulb and ripped it away from the stem. I let it sit in my palm while I give it life. I inhale deeply and on the exhale I send the energy that I can spear out of my body and into the bulb. It began to thicken, the severed bottom transformed with vitality. The bulb unfolded revealing a now fully blossomed yellow flower head. I pick it up from the bottom and exhibit it for everyone to see.

"Is that nice enough for ya?"

"What type of sorcery is this. How!" Jared and Seth say holding each other. Renesmee looks over but quickly shrinks back into her seat when our eyes. I'm guessing our chat yesterday got to her. I pass it around for everyone to have a look.

"Trade secret," I say tapping my nose.

"I knew that old lady was a witch, when my mum was I'll she gave her this stuff in a bag that needed to be brewed." Seth speculated we walked him go on.

"And the bag, it had all these dry things in them."

"That sounds like normal loose tea to me." I laugh. Everyone laughed, and it was as easy as that. They knew my secret and accepted me

* * *

**Let me know what you think :) - Isley Sister**


	8. Chapter 8

**Throw the looking glass**

"Why does she look so wounded." Leah juts her head out. I turn looking over my shoulder to see Renesmee looking over at us. As soon as our eyes met she looks away.

"Lou, doesn't like her." Paul informs Leah

"Hey! I never said that!" I defend.

"And cant she hear us with that super hearing," I lower my voice

"And.."

"Yeah so what?" They say at the same time not missing a beat. I looked between the two eerily similar people.

"She's so sheltered and spoiled." Leah continues to berate while throwing peanut into her mouth.

"HEY!" Jake bark in our direction from the other side of the room in the corner sofa. Renesmee shrinks further into her seat. If she sat any further in the sofa it would swallow her whole. Admittedly, it was wrong for us to talk about her in earshot and I do feel bad seeing her so withdrawn. Is it always like this for her? Did Leah and Paul always pick on her? Do any other the other guys? Paul gets up from the Stoll beside me and walks up the staircase.

Once Paul is out of earshot Leah swivels in her chair and faces me, giving me a once over with her eyes, sizing me up while trying to figure out what type of cloth I was cut from.

"Sooo," she dragged

"You're fitting very well with us, don't you think?".

"How did I make the cut," I joke while laughing.

"Paul" she says flatly, grabbing a handful of nuts. My brows pull together in confusion.

"Is he the membership officer or something?" I joke leaning over to dip my hand in the same bowl.

"Well you guys are an doing a thing." Leah uses finger quotation to emphasise "thing".

"A thing?'" I ask copying her gesture.

"We've only been on one date." I clarify holding my finger up.

"You kissed earlier." She rebuts

"That doesn't mean anything," I scoff, Leah was really beginning to get under my skin.

"Doesn't it? Don't you feel it?" She pans, I'm silent for a moment.

Something like what? Even though I hadn't spent much time with him, I am already very comfortable with him. All the time we've spent together I've never felt like I was getting to know him. It felt as though I already knew him. After my silence Leah continues.

"Or do you English go around kissing all the boys you just meet." Leah says as I threw a peanut directly into her mouth, puckering her lips.

"No. And I'm not English." I rush as Leah and I locked eyes. Leah was now a thorn in my side.

"I don't even know him like that." I defend, now shovelling peanuts nervously down my gullet.

"You'll get to know me." Paul's says from behind me.

"Whatever," Leah dismisses getting up from the Stoll at the island and walking off to the sofas, my eyes following her every movement.

"What just happened?" I say turning my back on the sofas.

"Yeah that's just Leah." He holds out a cup for me to take. I bring it to my lips before smelling the potency of a spirit. I look him and hand it back.

"I can't, I'm driving."

"I can drive you back," he says resting his back against the fridge.

"It gives us more time to get to know each other," he giving me a cheeky wink. I hold out my hand in request for his cup. He obliges. I bring it to my nose giving it a little sniff before exclaiming

"And you're drinking! How can you drive me home better yet how will YOU get home!"

He chuckles turning to face me, taking the cup from my hand

"We can't get drunk so I wouldn't worry. And I'll just run home" he reasons

"Don't you live here on the reservation?" I ask

"I do but I'll just turn into a wolf and run back."

"I don't know..." I trail off

"I'm not trying to get you drunk, you don't even need to drink this. I just want to spend more time with you." He admits

"We were together yesterday." I point out.

"Because I like you." he says stalking the short distance towards me. He settles to stand between my legs his large hands resting firmly on my outer thighs as his head dips down towards mine. As soon as I breath him in my back automatically arched with my head upturn to look at him.

"And" he drops a soft kiss on my lips

"I know" he moves to give a gentle kiss on my exposed collar bone.

"What I want." He ends whispering in my ear before giving my lips another light kiss. I shudder as my body alights in Goosebumps, my heart racing. I almost forgot where I was. I shake my head slightly and clear my throat trying to clear myself of the spell Paul had bewitched upon me.

"Wipe the droll off your face won't you Lou," Jared shouts laughing from the other side of the island, hand fully submerged in the crisp bowl digging for gold. I instinctively went to wipe my mouth when I hear a clink of metal hitting a surface and then falling to the floor. I look back at Jared, holding his head to see the paper towel holder on the floor.

"Owww I was just kidding." He says sorely

"Well don't next time." Paul says with his folded arms. What makes this man so consuming? Why am I drawn to him like this? Why does my body have a mind of its own when it comes to him? Why does my mind have a mind of its own!? Is this it? The thing Leah was talking about?

"So, what will it be." Paul asks

"I'll stay a little longer." I say smiling.

Paul's eyes flicker as his lips turn into a smile.

"And for the record I wasn't drooling" I joke turning to Jared, who holds his hands up in surrender.

"Not much anyway." Paul jokes in front of me while I swat him with my hand.

"Where are you going." He calls reaching for my hand.

"Getting to know other people." I laugh.

I make my way around the kitchen and into the living room

I find Renesmee sitting in the same place on the sofa with Jake by her side.

"Can you give us a minute?" I ask Jake, he looks between the two us before silently getting up. I take him seat.

"I think I owe you an apology." I begin.

"you've been nice to me, and I haven't been very nice." She looks up at me as I continue.

"It's not that I don't want to be friends with you, it's just safer if we don't."

"But why not, we're both new comers to the group and I thought we could be a team, like everyone else." She pleads.

"Like everyone else?" I question.

"Well there's Jared and Seth, Leah and Paul and Sam –"

"Leah and Paul?" I instantly question unable to stop myself.

"Yeah everyone's got a best friend." she says timidly

"We'll you've got Jake."

"Yes, but I wanted a girlfriend, someone I could paint my toenails with." She says before looking around cautiously for idle listeners. I follow her gaze, once reassured everyone was distracted doing their own thing she continued.

"Someone I can share things with, you know without the pack mind and my dad's ease dropping." My eyes widened in shock.

"The pack mind, your dad?" I ask.

"Oh shot, I shouldn't have said that. Jake said Paul will talk you through these things when the time is right." I star at her dumbfounded

"My dad," she explains

"Edward. He can read mind. And I don't think he does it on purpose but he reads my mind all the time. I never have a private moment and when I saw that he couldn't read your mind I got excited and.." she rambled.

"Hang on hang on, that guy was your dad? I sure he couldn't be too much older than us." Renesmee waves her hand brushing me off.

"Well yeah my mum was Human when she had me,"

She seemed to be waiting reaction or for me to say something. All this talk of vampires and wolves, I've taken it very well if I do say so myself but even I couldn't process this data at the rate I was receiving it.

"Okay let's get back on track. Can you keep a secret," I ask, of course she can't but what harm can it do! She can't even keep her thoughts to herself.

"Vampires and witches together are a dangerous combination, okay. I am only trying to protect myself -"

"Don't worry, I'm harmless." She reassures me quickly. Bless her, she really did seem harmless sitting before me like this. But Nan's warning rings true in my head.

"and protect you." I continue

"I can protect myself, I don't understand"

"You'll need to just trust me" I say taking her hand and use my empathetic ability to project sincerity and trust. She nods slowly. Phew good! I begin to rise.

"I guess sharing secrets is the best place to start friendship." I hear from behind me, my smile drops as I stop dead in my tracks. What is she not getting? I think shaking my head slightly I walk back to the counter re-joining Paul and Leah who had returned. I sink down in my seat and down the drink previously bought to me by Paul slamming the cup onto the counter when I finished.

"Damn Girl." Leah chimes.

* * *

"You like the beach?" Paul notices on the drive to my house. We had taken the scenic route, driving alongside the see sea front. It was dark and the moon was high in the sky illuminating the sandy beach. The only sounds were the car engine, crickets and the swelling of the waves hitting the shore.

"Yep, it's my favourite place, you never see any sad at the beach." I reply breathing deeply, I can almost taste the salt and sand.

"Where's your favourite place?" I ask leaning back in the passenger seat.

"Mine?"

"Yeah, yours"

"The communal"

"What's that?" I ask, taking any deep breath of the coast in.

"It's la Pushes youth centre." He explains.

"Didn't you say you worked there."

"I do."

"So, your favourite place is work." I tease.

"I didn't always work there."

"So, you went as a child?" I question.

"Yep" he says bluntly.

"Did the other guys go too?"

"Nope, it was just me." He said pulled into my driveway. He didn't seem to want to an answer any questions so I left it as that. We both get out of the car meeting at the hood as he places the keys in my hand, keeping his hand clasped around mine pulling me to sit beside him on the porch swing.

"I think I have a new favourite place." He says wrapping his arms around my shoulders and bringing the sing to a light rock with his foot.

"Here," I say teasing giving him my best impression of doe eyes, we both let out a laugh. I lace our fingers together, tracing the defined veins on Paul's hand with my other. He clears his throat and takes a deep breath.

"Do you feel that?" he whispers in my ear.

"The something Leah was talking about."

"Yeah, do you know what it is." He asks breaking our embrace to look at ne.

"Yes," I answer confidently,

"Really," Paul said sounding relieved.

I had thought about it quite a bit on the ride home. I think I've cracked what this something is that Leah had spoken about, admittedly I hadn't felt it before with anyone but I had felt a similar sensation when I was around people I trusted. Humans had coined this "feeling" as the eyes saying more than words could ever say, which isn't true. Your eyes are meant for seeing and nothing more . All the speaking is done by our Aura's reacting, entwining and dancing with one another. I'm now confident that that's what Leah was talking about and this was amplified by the fact I am attracted to Paul.

"It's our energies communicating, letting us know it's we're safe together. People normally feel it with their family and friends. It's just our Aura's saying hello." I say proudly. Paul continues to stare at me.

"Is that not it?" I ask beginning to doubt myself

"Yeah," he says half-heartedly, pulling me back with him to swing a little longer. I wasn't convinced. Had I gotten it wrong?

* * *

**Let me know your thought :) - Isley Sister**


	9. Chapter 9

**Curveball**

It wasn't until later that I realized Emily's impromptu invitation was not as clear cut and innocent as it initially seemed. It was an inauguration and unbeknown to me, I had passed. The spontaneous invites and phone calls came through less and less as I imposed my presence on the pack more and more. I stopped ringing before I arrived and just showed up. Emily's house was the beckon and I came running, even when they weren't home. Nevertheless, if Emily wasn't home there, there was always someone to open the door for me, even if that someone was myself using the key hidden under the doormat.

I was having a great time with these guys and with all the joking aside I saw that they had a lot of love for each other. It was all the little things, each smile they shared, every backhanded compliment, and all of the roughhousing that ended in laughter. All of these interactions were cementing their bond and for nothing short of a fluke I had slipped through a crack and assimilated. I also began to share the same smile, dish out my own wit, and contribute to a small amount of roughhousing. And just like that before I knew it I was part of their pack and they were apart of my coven. And before I knew it the days turned to weeks and the weeks turned into months.

The situationship Paul and I had found ourselves in had begun to settle. I found that he was quite within groups only breaking his silence to speak with purpose. Whether this is to chime in on a slander session with one of the guys or anyone for that matter no one was safe when he finally spoke. Or he broke his silence to bark orders at the younger guys. If it wasn't for the time we spent alone I would have thought he was a boring two-dimensional wolfman! When he thought no one was looking he'd crack a smile. When he thought we were alone he'd whisper sweet things in my ear. And my favourite when he was comfortable he'd speak non stop! He'd spoke a lot about the kids he worked with, he was quite the humanitarian within his own right. He spoke about a time before he was part of the pack spewing facts about being street smart. I didn't dare chime in or interrupt his train of thought, these were precious moments I valued as he usually kept anything about his childhood close to his sleeves. However, this was the first time I was visiting him at the Communal.

The Communal was a short walk from the clinic and I thought I'd surprise him with a visit and the end of my shift at the clinic. From the outside, it looked no more than a large log house. The closer I got I could see posters and graffiti litters at the front near the door. There was a group of kids hanging out blocking the front door. I understood why people are often cautious around big groups of teenagers. Their unwavering eyes could be very unnerving but I felt no hostility within their gaze just curiosity. They started to create a path for me to walk through as I got closer and closer to the door, I gave them a soft smile in appreciation.

As I walk through the door I saw that the large cabin had multiple work stations. One full of tables with colouring books paints, there was also some desks with old computers which had a few youngsters crowded around while sharing laughs and a headset. And at the furthest corner of the cabin, there was a matted area that had some older children sat before them mesmerized as the two men grappled and throw each other before them. I instantly recognized one of the guys as Paul. I stayed a short distance away waiting for the class to be over. I look up at the art covered walls to admire the work. I began to trace my fingers over macaroni art, I felt a great sense of pride and enjoyment from the child who made it. As I traced more work on the walls with my fingertips I detected other motivations for their art, many were made by happy children filling the pages with rainbows, unicorns, and work art showing their love for the Communal. Sadly, every now and again I would follow a piece of work from a child drawing in despair, drawing in anguish, drawing as an escape. I was pulled out of my tunnel vision by someone giving me a light tap on the shoulder. I turn around to see a tall man with a low baseball hat in front of me.

"Visitor need sign in," he states

"I'm sorry, I didn't see a sheet or anything when I came in," I say fumbling for a pen in my bag, still slightly overwhelmed by the despair portrayed in a few of the children's art pieces.

"Are you here from the Forks council?" He says crossing his arms over his chest.

"Um no, I'm not," I replied, I wager there isn't a good relationship there.

"Good." He said continuing his affront, he waited for a beat as I stop with a pen in hand. Oh, he was waiting for me to actually say why I was here.

"Oh, I'm just passing through and thought I'd pop in and say hi to my friend Paul," I explain. He seemed to relax slightly, unfolding his arms and pushing his hat a little off his forehead to expose his face. He seems to be in his late 40's, his face was riddled with wrinkles was it from a hard life or a life filled with laughter.

"You'll have to put up with me for the next 5 minutes as he finishes his class," he says jutting his head forward, telling me to follow him which I did.

"Where do I sign in?" I ask, pen in hand he laughs.

"That was just rubbish! I thought you were another one of those council women telling me our funding would be cut, again!" I join in on the laughter.

"No that's not me," I say stops by a desk filled with paperwork.

"Now I know you're not with the government, I'm Andy, manager," He says reaching out to shake my hand.

"Louisa, receptionist," I reply to which he laughs.

"So you're our Paul's friend," he says as his stern resurfaces again.

"Yep," I say my lips making an audible pop with the P. We fall silent as we both begin to watch the end of the demonstration, I felt Andy's eyes on me.

"He ain't been treating you well if you're just his friend," he says walking off towards the mats.

"Hey, Paul your friend is here" Andy shouts ruffling a few heads on the way. Paul came out walking towards me.

"Hey stranger," I say as we share a tight hug where Paul breaths in my scent and lets out a content sigh.

"This is a nice surprise, what are you doing here," He says giving my waist a light squeeze.

"Yeah, I was just passing through and thought I'd stop by."

"Lucky me." He says pulling away to wipe the sweat of his brows.

"So you teach Jitsu?" I ask shifting my weight from one leg to the other.

"It just comes with the territory of self-defence. These guys have got a lot of energy and nothing to do with it. I know for a fact this stuff works with them." He states philosophically.

"I'm guessing it worked for you," I say resting my hand on his arm.

"Yes, it did," He said slowly. He didn't talk too much about his childhood or upbringing but it didn't take a genius to figure out it wasn't perfect. I sometimes thought he avoids the subject at my expense.

"I'm happy it did," I say clinging to his arm

"Stay. Wait for me we close at six."

I checked my phone for the time. 15:34. A two and a half hour wait was not appealing.

"I told Leah I'd meet her at Ems, met me there?" I ask. He smiles and nods.

"Do you have a minute?" I say fidgeting with my fingers eyeballing the door. He doesn't respond but guides us out. The kids that had sat at the entrance when I came in were gone now.

"What's wrong."

"Nothings wrong," I say blowing a piece of hair out of my face.

"Take those judgy eyes away from me, or you want to get your gift," I say. His body perks up

"What is it?" He beams.

We witches can be very sentimental beings. We infuse many things with our essence, sometimes it's for offensive protection like my necklace and bracelet, sometimes its defensive like my diary that I made sure was only visible to me. And sometimes we will gift our pure essence, giving that person a little piece of us to carry with them. This is what I had done for Paul. I had fused a deep blue lapis lazuli stone to the bottom of the moonstone and carved the excess off to resemble the head of a wolf. I dug around in my bag feeling for the tissue paper I had wrapped it in. Paul took it for my outstretched hand and began to unravel the paper.

"You don't have to open it now," I say quickly now feeling a bit awkward. Paul and I had been in a grey area from the start. We acted like a couple, holding hands in public, sharing kisses and going on dates. But we've never had any conversation about what was going on. I wanted him to know I liked him and this was the only way I knew how. He pulls it out by the thread it was attached to.

"You don't have to wear it as a necklace, it just a good luck charm," I say nervously.

"Did you carve this yourself?" He asked turning the head from side to side.

"Not manually, I just tapped into a bit of this," I say tapping my temple. Paul just stares at me, which makes me even more nervous. Had I misguided and overstepped? Was I just his happy past time?

"It alright if you don't like it," I say beginning to fidget again. NO, it was not alright but I'll take the L now and mope about it later. He pulls me into a hug.

"Shut up, I like it." He laughs into my hair.

"So what is it like a token of your love." He says bringing it to his lips to give it a sweet kiss. my eye bulge and I nearly choke, unable to form words.

"Moonstone, isn't that a lover's stone."

"Not really." I lie, yes it was true moonstone can be seen as the lovers stone but it also has other uses, like luck and reflection. Truth be told I had no idea he'd pick up on that. All I wanted to do was say I like him but the gesture seems to be running at full speed. Paul bursts into a hearty laugh.

"You're lying. Your nose is doing that little thing again." He laughs. Blast! I hold my nostrils down.

"Chill out, I'm just playing with ya. You do not work well under pressure." He jokes shaking his head. He stretches the tread and puts the necklace on, the small wolf's head falls to reach the middle of his chest. It was dangling a little too low for my liking.

"If you pull those two ties apart you can change the length," I say getting on my tiptoes to try and adjust the thread but he holds my hands steady stooping down to give me a slow, gentle kiss on the lips.

"I like it like this," he says before Paul can go in for a second kiss we heard a hoard of catcalling us from behind us. Those damn kids. I look back to see them showing us their kissing faces.

"Alright I'll see you at Em's," I say turning away slightly embarrassed from all the attention.

"What no kiss goodbye." He shouts after me laughing.

"You finished work at 3, now what time do you call this," Leah complains tapper the imaginary watch.

* * *

"What are you, my babysitter?" I snide back, dropping my bag onto the floor after letting myself in. This was how Leah and I's relationship was, a lot of affection shrouded in snarky remarks.

"I went to see Paul," I added.

"Dreamy." She says head in palms and batting her eyelashes before going back to her usual straight face.

"Did you give it to him?" She asks

"Yep."

"And..."

"And that's it, he'll wear it," I reply

"Em we should tell her." Leah states

"Tell me what?" I ask.

When Em doesn't reply we look in her direction to see she has both hands braced on the kitchen counter, her knuckled looked very pale.

"You alright?" I ask, she nods mutely standing up straight and tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Not our place Leah, so maybe you need to stop dropping these bombs and mind your own business," Emily says Flatley turning to turn the tap on and proceeding to gulp down a glass of water.

"WOW, look who woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Leah said. That was really harsh coming from Emily, I've never heard her speak like that before.

"Sorry, I'm just not feeling too hot right now." She says walking straight past us to go upstairs, Leah and I share a look.

"Period." I joke trying to lighten the mood.

"Period or not, it doesn't mean she has to be a bitch."

"Hey, and what's your excuse you're a bitch 24/7," I jokingly chastise, Leah laughs.

"She's not usually like that right?" I then ask

"No she's not," Leah says as we begin to take this morning seriously. I get up and make my way to the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"To see if she's alright, duh," I reply.

The upstairs of the house starting with the staircase which was the only place cultivated with a soft cream rug. There were no shoes allowed up there, a rule both Emily and Sam were very strict on. However, we didn't take off our shoes.

As we reach the closed bathroom door I call out without any reply. Leah tapped on the door.

"Em, you alright?"

"I'm fine," I hear her reply as she stifles a sniffle.

"What's going on in there," Leah said straight to the point as usual. I jiggled the handle and pressed my ear to the door and listened for a moment. Whimpering and crying was all I heard for the other side. Leah and I looked at each other before I took a step back and she rammed her shoulder into the door sending it off its hinges.

When we stepped in we found Emily sitting on the toilet with clumps of bloody tissue in her hand.

"I broke down the door for a little period, really!" Leah complains.

However, this didn't look like any period I have ever seen before. Why was she crying so much?

"Em, " I call out getting closer towards her, picking up a small paper bin from beside the door.

"He's gone," she stuttered.

"Who's gone?" Leah said her tone changing instantly. Emily pulls up the jeans and throws the tissue into the toilet before slamming the lid down before slumping back down into the toilet seat holding her belly.

"Oh Em," I say rushing to embrace her. This is when she began to wail and uncontrollably sob, Leah joined our embrace. My own tears joined Emily's.

"Call Sue, let's get you down to the clinic," I instruct Leah

"I don't want to go there, I just want Sam" Emily cried.

"Sue, she can help." I tried to reassure

"No," she shouts and continues

"Once it happened, there's no going back. There's nothing I can do."

We were lost for words, the moment almost felt inconsolable.

"I'll call Sam," Leah said softly before leaving the bathroom.

I kneel in front of Emily to take her hands in mine and give them a light squeeze.

"Do you remember the thing I did with the flower?" I ask. Emily nodded through her tears.

"I want to help," I say.

"Can you fix this?" she stutters

"I can try,"

"Close you're eyes and I'm sorry to ask this of you but please try to relax," I say rubbing reassuring circles on the back of her palms. She nods unable to form words.

I also close my eyes now taking a deep breath in. Just like the flower, the same principle different scenarios. All I need to do is share my energy to heal her. I first needed to a line our minds and aura so the energy could flow freely between us and then all I needed to do was share. And, if I was lucky I wouldn't get any of that nasty feedback.

Have you ever star gazed before? Looked up to the sky and tried to recognize the different constellations? I have, it's difficult if you don't know what you're looking for but if you do the constellations call out to you. That what a smooth alignment is like and Emily's was no different it called out to me and the background of the bathroom began to dim and disappear as I locked in our channel and began to share.

Sharing was taxing on the body, very tiring, and potentially dangerous. But I took this within my stride and concentrated through it. I don't know how long we sat there together but we created a rhythm. I exhaled and Emily inhaled. Emily exhaled and I inhaled. And soon Emily's hands didn't feel as clamming, her grip on my hand tightened. I would have gone on if it wasn't for someone shaking my shoulder.

I abruptly opened my eyes and then I squeeze them shut again, the bathroom light blinding me.

"What's going on here, you're bleeding," Leah says

"Let's go Em, Sam and Sue will meet us at the clinic."

I peaked to look at Emily to see any change.

"Did it work?" She asked me. I didn't have it in me to answer because I didn't know but I definitely felt drained though I had shared a lot.

"Come on Em," Leah said throwing a light cardigan over Emily as they began to made their way downstairs. I stood up to join them and on the way out caught a glimpse of my face to see my nose had bled. I wiped my nose on the back of my hand.

I walked with them downstairs and help Emily into the back of the car, as I closed the door Leah asked. "What were you doing?"

"Trying to help."

"Did it work?" She said climbing into the driver's side.

"I don't know," I say taking a step back to allow space for Leah to man out her car.

After I couldn't see the car anymore I walked back into the house and threw myself onto the sofa. Paul arrived soon after, he found me flicking through TV channels.

"I got off early," he said coming in smiling.

"Where is everyone? What's going on?" he said taking a seat next to me. I told him as much as I could without infringing on Emily's privacy. We agreed we would wait here until someone Emily or Sam got back. I had been leaning against Paul when I started to overheat and I wanted my hair off my back.

"What's wrong," Paul asked as I took my hairband off my wrist and threw my hair into a high bun to give my neck some ventilation

"Nothing I'm just a bit hot."

I laid back into Paul's arms and started to fan myself.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep," I say

"You're sweating bricks," Paul says after another 10 minutes. I sit up to and rest my elbows on my knees hanging my head handing down. Was this the flu? I feel a light cool breeze on the back of my neck, it was Paul blowing on me. It was very refreshing but I started to feel short of breathe. This was not the flu. This was the reason sharing was so dangerous. Feedback! Sharing was like stretching an elastic band, you could pull and stretch it as much as you like but as soon as you pasted that sweet threshold it comes flying back at you.

I took my necklace and placed the pendant onto my temple trying to draw out all the energy I had stored in it. I closed my eyes to concentrate but nothing! I was too weak to draw power from something so refined and sophisticated. My breathing now became laboured.

"Lou, what's going on?" Paul said taking my head into his hands and looking me in the eye. What he saw must have spooked him and he then barking orders.

"We're going to the clinic." He began to try and lift me swinging one of my arms over his shoulder and then reaching down to bridle carry me in one swift movement. Through my rasping breathing, I could detect the small scent of earth. And then it clicked, the earth was an unrefined source of energy. I tried to wiggle out of Paul's hold as we got closer to his car but his grip wouldn't loosen.

"Let me down." I rasp out, my breathing becoming erratic. I wrangle my way out and threw myself onto the ground willing mother nature to embrace me before everything went black.

* * *

Poor Emily :( Next chapter pending soon, let me know what you think :) - Isley Sister


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